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luxshine
2009-04-26 03:36 pm UTC (link)

Please, DON'T believe what the BBC is saying. Mexican authorities say that there have been only 20 confirmed deaths, and they're investigating 61. Problem is, we're in the middle of flu season in México *anyway* and the way international news are handling the situation, any flu is being reported as swine flu (influenza). Yes, SOME people are wearing masks on the street, but it's not mandated, and the army is not handing them on the streets, only in the very Zocalo and Reforma and it was only this weekend because the closing of public events happened on a Friday and some people wasn't informed of the situation. We're not quarantined, we were only told to avoid masses of people. I live in the city, the so-called point of start of this so-called epidemic (Another thing, even if the 20 deaths had happened in the city, which they didn't, we're 22 million people in the city. 20 confirmed deaths is not an epidemic) and the fear atmosphere presented in the international news is not present. In fact, schools weren't closed until the 6th! We're still waiting on confirmation for that. They were closed on Friday, but the school closing for a week was in other states, not in the city. Yes, we're taking precautions -new vaccines will be given to the public next week, and there has been a big shipment of vitamin C and anti-flu medication- but it's not the 'Stand' like emergency some international news are trying to sell.

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	ariadne484 2009-04-26 04:08 pm UTC (link)
	Thanks for the local perspective (I mean that sincerely). The news was giving me flashbacks to 1918, so your viewpoint is reassuring. Good luck, and may things not get anywhere near the suggested pandemic. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

luxshine
2009-04-26 04:16 pm UTC (link)

To me, it's more like flashbacks to 1984, because apparently the army is going to get the right to intrude in anyone's house 'for containing the epidemic', which is a frightful thought when there's not an epidemic.
Also, what I haven't found in any international newslet is that there were 45 *cured* cases. The ones who were near the first victim, which I believe was in Oaxaca -picture the distance between, say New York and Chicago, to get the distance between Mexico City and Oaxaca. Maybe a bit less- were infected, and got cured! And apparently, no one thinks that newsworthy.

I'm getting my flu shot in Tuesday, just to be on the safe side, but all that fearmongering is starting to tire me out.

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	bemysty 2009-04-26 04:11 pm UTC (link)
	Thank you for this comment. I was looking for a non-fearmongering account but haven't been successful so far... instead they're already reporting on cases in France, when it's only two or three people and they've not even been tested yet rolls eyes (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

luxshine
2009-04-26 04:21 pm UTC (link)

Oh, yes. I feel your pain. The so called other 1,300 deaths that the BBC is mentioning are non-tested cases. And as I said, it's flu season anyway so yes, people will get sick, but it's a big difference between swine flu and normal flu.

Many mexicans think that the only reason why big events were canceled was because the WHO insisted and it was better to save face than to tell 'chill, we're on it'. Because everyone outside Mexico thinks the country is stuck in 1900, and, as a friend of mine said upon hearing this news, is ruled by apes.

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bemysty
2009-04-26 04:29 pm UTC (link)

It's retarded, if you ask me... even if you have 10,000 people running around with the flu, it can still be just the damn FLU, and not swine flu. German media (local and national) is already full of precautions being developed by "our CDC" to contain the "possible epidemic" and I'm sick (pun not intended) of it.

In fact, it makes me wish for an actual pandemic so they get something real to do instead of blowing every single flu case from here to Tuvalu out of proportion

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luxshine
2009-04-26 04:41 pm UTC (link)

Fearmongering is what media does best. And unfortunately, panic dulls the critical mind.
I live next to a market, so every morning I have a blended juice for breakfast. It's an easy one to make at home, with pinneapple, grapejuice and celery, but I like going down to the market and talk with my neighbours while I have breakfast.
Yesterday and Today? Full of people asking for the 'antiflu' blended juice which is a mixture of orange, grapefruit, lemon, pinneapple and I don't remember what else. As soon as someone says 'epidemic' here? Everyone is convinced we're going to die.

So yeah, I feel you and I agree. If we had a *real* epidemic, we could stop panicking for each little sneeze.

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	thebratqueen 2009-04-26 08:08 pm UTC (link)
	Exactly. The news isn't going to bother with pesky facts when it can leap right into death counts. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	weaselistic 2009-04-26 04:48 pm UTC (link)
	Reminds me of the bird flu - when was it? 2006? There was such a huge difference between "how the media portrays the situation" and "what an impact the situation actually has on people". Seriously, if the national media hadn't informed me that I lived in an ~especially endangered area~, I wouldn't have noticed back then. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	shark 2009-04-27 04:20 pm UTC (link)
	Truth: I was more concerned about my parrot's health during the bird flu scare than I was for my own or that of my loved ones. (Reply to this)(Parent)

seraangelus
2009-04-27 03:12 am UTC (link)

I know how frustrating this sort of thing can be. But please for the love of small green monkeys don't wish for a real Pandemic. With the way society is structured today, and the ease of travel, it could well push us back to the dark ages. I like my somewhat enlightened society, as flawed as it is, and don't wish to either A. die or B. end up in a food line because all the bloody crops failed due to farmers all being dead.

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	luxshine 2009-04-27 08:28 pm UTC (link)
	DOn't worry, I'm not actually wishing for a real pandemic. I wish for responsible media coverage and a half decent government, and for people not to panic, not for pandemics. It's just that it's not only frustrating, is downright scary to see what goes behind the curtain while people is running around like headless chickens due to an nonexistent epidemic. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	persona 2009-04-26 04:18 pm UTC (link)
	You have no idea how much I appreciate your comments. My mother, with whom I am not in real contact, is in Mexico city working in a school, and when I heard about this, I was rather worried. In a way I'm glad to hear the BBC is over-sensationalising. (Well, not entirely glad - it's still sleezy). (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	luxshine 2009-04-26 04:23 pm UTC (link)
	As far as local news say, there have been only three confirmed cases in Mexico City, and only in the outskirts. Also, the real confirmed cases were quarantined in April 13, so I'm pretty sure your mom is all right. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	persona 2009-04-26 04:40 pm UTC (link)
	Ah, and she lives downtown. And she might have moved to Guadalajara by now anyway - I don't know, really; regardless, I feel way better now. Thanks so much. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	luxshine 2009-04-26 04:42 pm UTC (link)
	You're welcome. Also, since you're not sure where she lives, I did a quick news scan. No reported cases in Guadalajara or in all Jalisco. It's all north for the most part. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	harrylovesron 2009-04-26 04:50 pm UTC (link)
	Thanks for this; I mean that sincerely. It's good to know from someone who's actually living there, because, you're right, international media is making it out to be this huge, deadly problem. I'll amend my post. :) (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

luxshine
2009-04-26 06:40 pm UTC (link)

You're welcome :) I hate fearmongering, so I'm glad I can do my part to dispel missinformation. I mean, my mom (who lives in Switzerland) called me in near panic when the news hit, and she's usually calm headed, so I figured someone had to be saying that the end was coming. I just didn't expect it to be the BBC.

Also, in honor of the truth, it's just been reported that the confirmed deaths are 22. Still not epidemic, and now we know that they were people who totally ignored their symptoms and didn't went to any kind of doctor until it was too late.

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harrylovesron
2009-04-27 03:49 am UTC (link)

I figured someone had to be saying that the end was coming. I just didn't expect it to be the BBC.

Yeah, I specifically went to them to double-check CNN's account of the story because BBC's supposed to be a bit more reputable and reliable- so when they said the same things CNN were, I thought it had to be as bad as presented.

Also, in honor of the truth, it's just been reported that the confirmed deaths are 22. Still not epidemic, and now we know that they were people who totally ignored their symptoms and didn't went to any kind of doctor until it was too late.

Yeah, I've seen that, too. I'm not saying it's good to ignore this problem, of course, but they really don't need to be sending people into a panic and just making any potential problems worse.

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	luxshine 2009-04-27 08:31 pm UTC (link)
	News are reporting now that out of the other 1300 suspected cases, 800 are now healthy and without any problem. However, schools are closed in four states now, and it's recommended that no one with a flu (normal flu) leaves their house, unless fever spikes to 39° and then, only to go to a hospital. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	aoibhe 2009-04-26 06:18 pm UTC (link)
	I'm also going to jump in and say thank you. I'm not a fan of big media anyway (sensationalism sells!) so it is definitely nice to have a local account. (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	luxshine 2009-04-26 06:41 pm UTC (link)
	Sensasionalism is everywhere. I just read a report about military men taking sick people to hospitals from the street. What is actually happening? They put a couple of uniformed men outside the subway station. If you seem sick, they'll give you a list of symptoms and recommend that if you have, say, five of the nine, go to a local hospital. And that's it. (Reply to this)(Parent)

	back_in_black 2009-04-27 08:11 pm UTC (link)
	This is very good to hear, thanks! (Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

	luxshine 2009-04-27 08:31 pm UTC (link)
	Your welcome :) (Reply to this)(Parent)

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